I'm Always By Your Side
by xHeartlessKairi
Summary: He was always surrounded by darkness,pushing everyone away from him. She got tired and refused to leave his side. Light. It was all he needed. Her.She was the only one who could give it to him.Therefore, she never left his side.Last Dance one-shot NxM HxR


Sorry to say, but I can't write the Valentine's Day sequel at a time like this. I've been so busy lately I can't update at all...But I decided, "Yosh! I have to do this! I have to do this because I want to read this as well!" So I decided to make this as a Valentine one-shot...sort of...Eh...It's based on Gakuen Alice (duh) episode 20, the Last Dance:O So this will have MikanxNatsume and HotaruxRuka (little) fluff:D Hope you like it and Happy Valentine's Day!

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Ok, I don't know Japanese writing so I don't know if that is the right kanji (I think) that means Happy Valentine's Day...eh... Well, enjoy!

* * *

**I'm Always By Your Side**

It was the Last Dance at Gakuen Alice; it's also the last day of the Alice Festivals. Boo for students, yay for teachers. A certain girl was in a dressing room, reading a four page letter silently with her best friend, brushing her hair to calm her down. It's been a long time since the brunette had contact with her grandfather and she missed him so much. She even wrote letters to him, even though it was pointless because the Academy won't send it to her grandfather. She almost lost all of her faith in the Academy, but with the help of her friends, she had her faith in the Academy once more. She smiled through all of the tears and laughter that came her way, knowing that they will once turn bad things, into joyful things. Now here she is, reading a letter that she hoped to receive since Day 1 of being in Gakuen Alice. She sighed when she was done reading the letter, she felt so relieved that her jii-chan wasn't mad at her or anything dramatic happened to him. Just a sign of him being ok makes her feel safe. He was all she had, who is like a parent to her, aside from Narumi.

"Have you calmed down yet?" the raven-haired girl known as Hotaru asked. She stopped brushing her best friend's hair and began to look at her, staring straight at the mirror in front of them. The brunette gave her a little nod, signaling she was done crying and felt a little better.

"Arigatou, Hotaru," she said. "I'm glad you're always there when I need you the most,"

Hotaru gave a small smile to Mikan, to reassure her that no matter what, she'll be there for her. Mikan returned the smile, knowing it's seemingly rare to see her smile brightly at someone. _'I had no regrets coming here,' _she thought. Then, she remembered something that a certain person said to her when she was enrolled to the Academy. She gave a little frown, annoyed that she was thinking of him at a certain time like this. _'I never regretted coming here Natsume; I don't know why you said I will.' _She sighed. She knew she won't get a direct answer from him, but just a sign of it will help her find the answer. Not that she will actually get the point because of her idiocy. She felt a piece of cloth draped over her head, covering her vision.

"Hotaru?" she muffled out.

"Put it on," she heard her say. "The post-festival dance is about to start," She was about to leave the room until she halted, just outside the door. She gave the brunette one last look and left saying, "You should put your hair down, I have seen you regular hairstyle since I met you. Put it down, it looks better that way,"

Mikan just hold the dress in her hands, staring at the space that her best friend stood on before she left. She gave out a small smile and turned to the mirror in front of her.

* * *

**At the post-festival dance**

"Hotaru-chan!" Nonoko and Anna called out in unison, waving at the raven-haired girl. "Where's Mikan-chan? Is she ok?"

"Mikan is dressing up," she replied monotonously. "She was fine when I left her,"

Unlike Nonoko and Anna, Hotaru had a tiara and she was carrying some star (fairy) wand. They remembered that the academy crowned Hotaru Imai as rookie of the year. Her friends were very proud of her, especially her best friend who kept trying to hug her. The three girls walked around, taking the scenery in their memory. They come across a mob of fan girls as it seems. They knew who were behind the mob, it wasn't that hard to guess, even Mikan could find out who were they ganging (stalking) up against. Anna and Nonoko just laughed nervously when the girls ran around screaming Bloody Mary since their hair were on fire. The crowd soon disappeared and it revealed an amused Ruka and annoyed chibi-ish Natsume.

"Nogi-kun," she said then paused. "_Hyuuga,"_

Both Natsume and Hotaru were now in a staring contest, or more of a glaring contest. These two despise each other; despite they are friends with a certain idiot. An ominous aura surrounded the two and people just backed away from them, including Ruka who just sweat dropped at the scene. They were about to kill each other until they were interrupted with an angelic (obnoxious) voice.

"Hotaru, Natsume, Ruka-pyon!" she called out waving at them. Hotaru looked at her amusingly when she noticed that she took her word. Mikan wore the usual Last Dance dress that they were given by the Academy. The only difference is that she had her hair down, with one small ponytail at each side of her head (two) which was held by a corsage hairpin. In other words, she looks pretty with her hair down more than her hair in two pigtails.

"Sugoi, Mikan-chan!" Nonoko and Anna said looking at Mikan with stars in their eyes --- chibi style. "Kawaii!"

"Hm?" she asked. She noticed that they were referring to her looks. "Oh this?" She twirled around, her hair following her movement. "Well, Hotaru said to let my hair down, so I did! How do I look?"

"Kawaii!"

"Pretty,"

"Good,"

"Ugly,"

We all know who insulted Mikan's look with the word 'ugly'. Mikan just glared at the raven-haired boy. "Mou Natsume!" she said angrily. "Can't you be nice for once!?" Natsume just shrugged and replied an 'Hn'.

"Imai Hotaru-kun!" a far way annoying voice than Mikan's called. "Where thou art my lovely Imai-kun?"

Everyone except Hotaru and Natsume stifled a laugh. Who knew that Sumire Shouda's onii-chan (big brother) was so annoying? Oh, that counts down to everyone but Permy and him. Hotaru had an annoyed chibi-ish face on and she was patting on her good old baka gun she usually shoot Mikan with if she did something stupid. Her face was just like Bear's when he gave Mikan an evil glint. An evil smile crept up her face as she was ready to fire her invention at the crazy fan boy and her other fans.

"Whoa whoa Hotaru," Mikan sweat dropped, trying to stop her from shooting her poor fans. She didn't mind her shooting the seaweed-hair guy because he annoys the hell out of her when he tried to bully her when they first met and that time when he said that the Great Hotaru has an admiration for him. The jerk deserved to face the wrath of Hotaru Imai because **no one **and I mean **no one **messes with the Great Hotaru unless she had something to say about it.

"You guys look so kawaii!" Misaki Harada commented. Tsubasa Andou was right behind her glancing at the raven-haired guy who seems to give him a Don't-you-go-near-her glare. Tsubasa understood his language and he inwardly grinned. He walked up to Mikan, putting a hand on top of her head, ignoring the glares he is receiving by the fire caster.

"You should put your hair down more my little kouhai," he commented. "I'm sure **someone **will like it the way it is right now," He snickered when Natsume gave him an annoyed/murderous glared at him --- chibi style. He knew he was going to burn from the flames of Hell, but he thought it was worth it.

"Well gotta go!" he quickly said. He grabbed Misaki by her wrist and practically dragged her somewhere to the food table. She protested at first but found out that her stomach was rumbling so she let him drag her...for now until she hit him in the head with one of the tables filled with delicious food. He sighed in relief when the figure of Natsume Hyuuga and his little murderous attitude disappeared from his sight. _'He's gonna kill/burn me in my sleep I know it!' _he thought.

"Ok..." Mikan sweat dropped. She was completely oblivious on what her senpai said and oblivious to the glare she was receiving from Natsume. She turned towards Natsume and Ruka with her trademark smile. "Do you guys want to dance?" Natsume just shoved his hands in his pockets and walked away with no reply.

"Natsume?" Ruka called out. He saw his best friend raise his hand in the air, giving him the signal that he will excuse himself from the conversation. Ruka looked at his friend in sympathy; he had his hopes up that he will at least dance with Mikan.

"Ruka-pyon?"

"Yes?"

"Do you want to dance? Not like the Last Dance or anything, I don't get it much at all,"

Hotaru and Ruka both sighed knowing the brunette was oblivious to love or anything referring to it. Hotaru began to walk towards the food table, feeling very hungry and they were serving her favorite meal, crab. She licked her lips at the thought of her eating her sweet delicious crabs. Not only was she fond of blackmailing Ruka and money, but she also LOVE to eat crabs. Mikan and Ruka just sweat dropped when Hotaru had at least 5 full crabs on her plate.

"Shall we dance before we eat Sakura-san?" Ruka offered. He held out a hand for her to take so he can lead her to the dance area. Mikan just blushed a little and giggled before he took his hand. They danced to the music that was playing, confused on some of them since they were following their peers' movements. After ten minutes of dancing, Ruka bowed and Mikan curtsied before they head over to Hotaru's table. They sweat dropped at the scene of Hotaru eating her precious crabs, ignoring her fans and seaweed-hair guy at the back of her.

"Hotaru..." Mikan sighed. "I think you should ---"

Before she could even finish her sentence, there was a loud "**BAKA! BAKA! MORON!**" noise and all of her fans including Permy's onii-chan were sent flying in the air. She seemed to read Mikan's mind before she even finished her sentence. She got annoyed of hearing their pleas and she was finally ticked off.

"Give them what they deserve..." Mikan finished while sweat dropping. Ruka just sweat dropped with her as well, sitting at the vacant seat that Hotaru was facing blankly to. "Hey, have you guys seen Natsume? He's missing out the fun," Hotaru stopped chewing her food for a moment and shook her head 'no.'

"I haven't seen him..." Ruka trailed off. "But if you were Natsume, where would you be to get away from this so-called 'annoying' festival?"

Mikan pondered for a moment which turned into minutes. Then, an imaginary bulb flashed out on top of her head. "The Sakura Tree!" She dashed forwards to the direction of the tree, not turning back to reply on Ruka's calls.

"Hey," Hotaru called out.

"What Imai?"

"That girl is slow," she replied. She took a fork and dived it into one of her crabs to get the meat. "Your **best friend **better take care of her or I will hit him with all of my weapons I had so far invented." Ruka sweat dropped at this, not wanting to be in Natsume's position.

"He will," he replied. Hotaru paused and looked at him blankly. "I know he will," Hotaru gave him a small shock face before she gave him a small smile. Ruka just smiled at her in return.

"Now go get me some cake before I sell all of these blackmailing pictures of you," she threatened.

Ruka sighed and stood up, walking over the food table in a dramatic way. "Hai," he said. He'll get revenge for her for ever blackmailing him!

* * *

**Sakura Tree**

"He should be here somewhere," Mikan thought out loud. She was walking around the Sakura Tree as if she didn't know which way to go. "Where could he have gone?"

"Referring to me little girl?" a masculine voice called out. Mikan looked at the highest branch of the tree. If her eyes didn't deceive her, she could see a figure staring at the moon, one leg hanging off the tree, and the other leg had its knee pointing directly at the sky.

"Natsume!" Mikan smiled. She climbs up the three as if she was a bear so she was directly on the branch Natsume was on. She gave him a small smile. "I knew you would be in this kind of place!"

Natsume just frowned and looked away, not wanting to gaze at our favorite nullifier. He didn't want her to be here, especially at a time like this. How come every time he pushes her away, she keeps on coming back!? He couldn't understand why she is going through all this pain for him. He wanted to push her away, but he knew he couldn't do that.

"Why aren't you at the post-festival, Natsume?" questioned Mikan. She wanted him to have fun and smile for once but she knew that can never come true, not unless she gave it her all. It's about time that he let go of his past and start living in the present, not worrying about anything. Her fear of Persona taking him to too much missions, but mostly, she fears of Natsume dying. She couldn't let that happen, not now, not ever. "You should be having fun like the rest us,"

"Tch," Natsume scoffed. "I'm different...from the rest of you."

"Natsume?" Mikan blinked, completely oblivious on what he just said. "What are you talking about? You're an Alice and a human being just like the rest of us. How can you say you're different from us?" Natsume hit Mikan on the head with his fist lightly. He had a vein popped up on his head and you can see he was completely annoyed with the idiotic girl. Mikan just glared at Natsume and pouted, muttering about cruel bastards who are perverts.

"You shouldn't get closed to me," Natsume informed with a serious face. "Don't bother coming closer to the darkness that you don't need to see. With that brain of yours, I don't think you know what I am talking about,"

"Darkness?" Mikan asked. "You mean..."

"Just go away boring girl!" Natsume screamed angrily, showing her his death serious gaze. His sudden outburst almost made Mikan hit the ground with a sudden fall that might end her life. Just before Mikan slipped off of the branch, Natsume grabbed her hand to her rescue. Mikan was hanging onto Natsume's hand for her life, fearing if she lets go, she'll die or go into a coma. Natsume pulled her up, panting a little. His energy from his Alice practically drained some of his stamina, showing how weak he is being. "You look heavier than you look, what have you been eating?"

Mikan just glared at him, dusting the dust off of her elegant dress, panting slightly at the sudden position she was in just a second ago. "Geez Natsume," she said angrily. "If you wanted me to die, than why did you take my hand!?"

"Mikan..." he whispered. This totally caught Mikan off guard and she almost fell off the branch again if it was for her hand grasping the branch. She looked at him, seeing his eyes covered with his bangs.

"N-Natsume?" she stuttered. "D-Did you just?"

Fireworks went off but it went unnoticed by the two. Mikan was busy staring holes at Natsume while he just looks at ground, not wanting to meet her gaze. He raised his head, staring at Mikan's chocolate orbs.

"Go." he whispered. "Don't come close to me and don't go finding me again. Just go." He expected her to jump down and leave him alone but when he felt small arms wrapped around his waist, he gazed at who or what was hugging him.

"Iie," the figure said. "No matter how much you pushed me away Natsume, I'll just keep coming back to you. I may not know of all the pain you go through, but I know one thing. You push people away so they won't feel the pain your feeling. Well, it's not going to work on me Natsume. It's quite the opposite," Mikan's tears began to cloud her vision, so all she could see was black, but she still have conscious. "So stop trying to push me away Natsume, it hurts me to know that you're hurt,"

"Baka," he said. He pulled her up so he could pin her to the tree. His hot breath tickled her face and he brings his lips closer to her ear. "I guess you're not as dumb as you look Ichigo-kara,"

RECORD BREAK!

Mikan glared at him and shoved him off of her, still having a flushed face. This went notice by Natsume, unfortunately for her. He gave her a mocking smirk when she put a hand over her heart, panting slightly. "And I thought you were going softer..." Mikan muttered. "As if..." Natsume's mocking smirk widened more. He put an arm around her, like the time he did in the Alice Festival.

"Baaaaaaka," he emphasized. Mikan's blushed darkened even more. Suddenly, she felt something against her cheek.

**OH.**

**MY.**

**ALICE!**

Natsume Hyuuga was kissing Mikan Sakura on the cheek all of a sudden. "You may be a baka," he commented, after he parted his lips from her cheek. "But when it comes to noticing my actions and feelings, you have the brain of a **quarter**genius,"

Mikan just glared at his **quarter**compliment. She just shrugged, knowing she won't expect much from Natsume. She laid her head on his shoulder, while of his arms were wrapped around her waist. She stare at awe at the sky, where fireworks were once again, showed. Natsume rest his head by laying it on top of Mikan's head, following Mikan's gaze at the fireworks. He gripped on her hand, never wanting to let go of the moment just yet.

"Pretty, isn't it?" Mikan whispered. Her gaze never left the fireworks. Natsume just gave out a small 'Hn' and proceed to watch fireworks with the brunette. Luck was finally on his side, probably just for tonight. Tonight is all he needed, if it means being with this idiotic girl who was always by his side no matter what. That's all he needed to get through all of this pain he was enduring.

* * *

**Back at the post-festival**

"It's time for the Last Dance!" the announcer announced. "Hotaru Imai, please come up to the stage and pick out your partner,"

Hotaru just glared at the announcer and stomped up to the stage. It wasn't like she had any choice to pick a partner. She couldn't afford losing her status of being the "Ice Queen". She looked around the crowd, seeing her fans and Permy's onii-chan waving at her as if they want to be her partner. Her gaze stops at Ruka Nogi who seems to literally melt in fear when she gave him be-my-partner-or-else look.

"Ruka Nogi," she called out emotionlessly. The crowd except for Ruka gasped in horror. **THE **Ice Queen asked the animal pheromone boy to be her partner for the last dance!? Has the world gone to World War VI already? She simply hopped down the stage and approached Ruka. "Will you be my partner?" she asked again only with a little emotion. Ruka, thinking of possible ways Imai could do to him if he didn't accept. He shuddered at the thought and nodded. He offered a hand while Hotaru grabbed it. She gave him a small smile and led him to the middle of the dance floor. Three-fourths of the female population fainted when they say Nogi and Imai dancing at the beat of the music.

"Wonder what ever happened to Natsume and Sakura-san..." Ruka said to Imai. He twirled her around and put his arm around her waist once more.

"Mi-ka-n," Hotaru pronounced. "And I think I know what happened," A smirk began to form while Ruka just sweat dropped and twirled her around again once more.

* * *

**BONUS!** (Just because I love you guys :D)

Sometime around midnight, a certain shadow manipulator was sleeping soundly in his bed. He suddenly felt like he was traveling through Hell because he felt very hot and he was sweating alot. He groaned and fluttered his eyes open, to be greeted with the colors...red and orange?

_'Huh? That's not the color of my room...' _Tsubasa thought. Suddenly he noticed that he was surrounded in flames.

"OH MY ALICE!" Tsubasa screamed and bolted out the door. His room was filled with flames and on his wall it clearly said in red **INK**,'This is for revenge Andou'.

_'I knew I was going to burn in hell,' _Tsubasa wailed in his thoughts while he knocked the door of his beloved childhood friend, Misaki Harada.

* * *

A/N: Ok, I know that's a very short bonus but I have curphew you know...I hate it, ugh! Well, I hope you enjoy this well! I'm sorry if you have to read about the Last Dance again, but I changed things around so only a few words from the episode was shown. I hope it wasn't OOC as well as I tried to make the characters in character. Happy Valentine's Day everybody! Now give me your wonderful Valentine's Day gift to meh:D (Talking about reviews, not chocolates -.-; Though they are very sweet like red roses :D)

Also, the "OH MY ALICE!" was just random. I didn't want to say "OH MY GOODNESS!" or "OH MY GOD!" so I made it a little funny :) Hope you like it! XD

REVIEW!


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